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Nipple Shield

So, I had posted earlier about my 2 month old's nipple confusion. She started increasingly fighting breastfeeding over the past few weeks due to having to take bottles when I'm at school 5 hours a week. When she refuses to nurse, I have been pumping and then bottle feeding her- which was getting exhausting.

One of you suggested that I put the bottles away for good - but, I just can't watch her go hungry and not feed her. So, today I remembered that I still had my nipple shield from the first few days of breastfeeding when my nipples were still inverted. (they're not anymore! yay!) I try to get her to nurse directly from the breast for up to 10 minutes before I resort to the shield but it works EVERY time!

I've done a lot of research and I think this is a good temporary solution. I was wondering if anyone has used them to get the baby back to the breast and if so, how was your experience with milk production? A decreased supply is my biggest concern.

Re: Nipple Shield

That was me who suggested ditching the bottles! I should have thought of the nipple shield- it's a really good tool when the baby is unwilling to latch but able to latch well when she does. Decreased supply is a concern, because the shield can slow milk transfer and reduce stimulation to the breast. But that's well worth the price of getting the baby on the breast! Just watch her diaper output, and be prepared to throw in some pumping if it starts to dip too low.

Re: Nipple Shield

I tried a nipple shield when my nipples started to get cracked and bleeding, every feeding I would want to cry bc of the pain!! It worked WONDERFULLY, but then I developed a milk blister. I read somewhere that can happen with nipple shields, so after 4 wonderful weeks, I started to wean him. It was hard at first, but he started getting the idea. I had to make sure my nipple was erect for him to latch and he would only latch on the left! He would stay latched for a few gulps and then lose it, get mad and cry before re-latching a few moments later. After a few days his latch on the left was perfected and then the same latching/unlatching happened on the right for a few days. It took him a little more then a week, but now we are back on the breast with no nipple shield!! (My supply went up too after ditching the shield) IT CAN BE DONE!!
Now my milk blister still hasn't fully healed still, so last night I had to use the shield again bc of the pain, luckily he latched like no big deal this morning without it. I say do what you gotta do to get them to eat!